1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to audio input/output (I/O) of personal computer systems.
2. Background Information
Keeping manufacturing cost low is an essential part of maintaining competitiveness in price/performance for personal computer system manufacturers. Ensuring physical as well as functional compatibility among like components supplied by different supply vendors is a critical factor in keeping manufacturing cost low. Thus, over the years, a small number of packaging form factor standards for packaging system units of personal computers have emerged as the most popular packaging form factor standards. The overwhelming majority of personal computer systems today are manufactured in accordance to these form factor standards.
Particular examples of these packaging form factor standards are the so called Baby AT and the Low Profile or LPX form factor standards. The Baby-AT and LPX form factor standards, like other packaging form factor standards, include specifications for various physical aspects of a standard conforming computer system unit. In particular, the standard specifies the size of the motherboard, and its orientation. The standard further specifies where the expansion slots are to be located on the motherboard, and where the corresponding access cutouts are to be located on the back panel of the system unit. The standard also specifies the sizes, the frontal locations, and the orientations of the hard drives, the 3.5 drives, and their drive bays.
Among the functions that typically use the expansion slots and their corresponding access cutouts is the audio function. Traditionally, audio support for personal computers has been provided through audio add-in cards. For personal computers whose system units are packaged in accordance to the Baby-AT/LPX form factor standard or the like, these audio add-in cards are located in the specified expansion slots, and I/O of audio signals to/from the audio add-in cards are conducted through audio ports located at the corresponding back panel access cutouts.
As the technology of integration continues to advance, more and more functions that are traditionally provided by add-in cards are being integrated onto the motherboard, including audio function provided by audio add-in card. However, because of the limitations imposed by the Baby-AT/LPX form factor standard and the like, typically I/O of audio signals are still conducted through audio ports located at one of the add-in card access cutouts of the back panel of a computer system.
This prior art manner of conducting I/O of audio signals has a critical disadvantage in that it is difficult to couple audio jacks to the audio ports at the back panel. This disadvantage is especially aggravating for the relatively more novice users of home multi-media computer systems. Thus, it is desirable to be able to conduct I/O of audio signals in a much more user friendly manner, but still be able to continue to meet the packaging form factor standards with minimal increases, if any, on the manufacturing cost. More specifically, it is desirable to be able to conduct I/O of audio signals at the front panel of a Baby-AT/LPX and the like system unit, but at the same time still fully complies with the governing form factor standard. As will be disclosed in more details below, the present invention provides for such a audio output apparatus that achieves these and other desired results.